Real Estate & Investing

I’ve think I’ve just about shaken off the jet lag. I spent yesterday evening watching a traditional Thai folk dance and enjoying the food festival located on Kao San Road. Later I found a bar to enjoy a nice cold glass of beer and had a wonderful conversation with an Aussie about the care of bonsai trees. This morning, I woke up with bags under my eyes, but I did manage to haul myself out of bed, which is in one of the best five star hotels Bangkok can offer a traveller, and was off sightseeing.

I made a mistake by getting a tuk-tuk, it’s sort of  a cross between to motorbike and and a bicycle. I thought it might be the cheapest way to get around, which it was after I figured out how to use them properly, but the driver said he would take me around to places that would take approximately 2 hours for 20 bhat. He take me to all the temples, because they are too far apart to walk to. I thought I knew the catch: the driver gets petrol money by taking me to all the jewellery shops, which really wouldn’t bother me, really. I knew how to just look and say no. Anyway, he dropped me off at one of the biggest Buddha statues I’ve ever seen, it was the reclining Buddha, the off to some more temples that were all a glitter in gold and sparkled. Then, after that is when he took me to a gem place. I was in and out as quickly as possible, I was really good at smiling and nodding. Then, he took me to the Golden Mount; It’s this huge man-made hill that I wandered up, the temple at the top was not too impressive, but the view of Bangkok was spectacular. I peered over a wall and saw hundreds of dragonflies buzzing around. Then I headed back down, when I reached the bottom, the driver had disappeared. I only felt sick to my stomach for about a minute, then I remembered that I hadn’t paid him yet!

I had a lot of tuk-tuk offers to take me to another temple for free, but I opted to walk. That was a very, very long walk, but I managed to find things all with my own instincts.

During the entire course of my work, I find it necessary to visit the hotels and resorts that are included in my company’s holiday package. My company’s human resource department did a really good job this year with getting us the best deals with the best hotels in Spain. The hotels were selected with experience and a goal to satisfy every taste imaginable. The package that all the employees get, include travelling to the United Kingdom, Spain, the Greek Islands, the Red Sea Riviera, Italy, the Canary Islands, the Arabian Gulf (which included Dubai), the Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean Islands. Plus, there’s a wide range of holidays available to choose from.

I found the luxury hotels Menorca , Spain has to offer to be of top quality. I was July when I visited Menorca, which is the second largest of the Balearic Islands. Mallorca it the largest. Menorca has two main cities. One is the old city of Ciudadela situated in the west and the other one is the current capital that was built by the British. It’s called Mahon and it’s situated in the east. I just fell in love with the city of Mahon. The harbour is magnificent and it was one of Admiral Nelson’s favorites.

There were five hotels I could’ve chosen to stay in while I visited Menorca. I’m really glad I picked the one I’m in now. It’s located by the sea and it’s ideal for families. The spa is superb, one of the best I’ve been in. I really like my company. What great perks! The most wonderful thing about working for the company is really all the great people they hire. I’ve been with the company for five years now and every morning I wake up actually wanting to go into work. Now, how many people do you know who can say that?

Russell wasn’t expecting to go to Europe last summer. In fact, he really wasn’t expecting much at all. While it was his last semester of college, he graduated with a degree in architecture in May, he figured that his parents had been too badly hit by the economy to consider getting him a graduation gift. Not to mention, even if he was expecting one, it wouldn’t have been something as elaborate as a trip to Europe, and more specifically, Spain.

However, as his family and a few friends sat at Macayo’s restaurant for his celebration dinner, his mother handed him a card and a small and almost flat gift bag. Russell was appreciative and assumed the bag had a gift certificate to a record store, a bookstore or maybe even his favorite art store. Russell bought a lot of his drafting tools and accessories at art stores, and he was also a pretty good painter. It truly didn’t matter what was in the bag, he was just happy to be finished with school, though he was worried about finding a job, and felt honored that his family and friends would take the time to recognize his efforts.

Needless to say, when Russell opened the bag and saw the plane tickets and reservation information to one of the Barcelona Spain luxury hotels, he almost couldn’t believe his eyes. Russell had always, well at least for as long as he could remember, wanted to go to Spain and particularly Barcelona. He was captivated by much of the city’s architecture and had (studied the work of Antonio Gaudi at school. He was one of Russell’s primary influences and had designed quite a few buildings in Barcelona. Russell was truly amazed and didn’t know what to say. Then he found the small sketchpad that was also included. He had always preferred to express himself in drawings and sketches and knew he would create a special painting for his parents as a thank you gesture.

The annual festival honoring the legendary jazz great Charlie Parker, was a celebration this past August of not only Parker, but of the legendary pop icon Michael Jackson as well.  Both men have the same date of birth, August 29th.  That, and the fact the Jackson had so recently passed away, led to tributes being given left and right, from the Village to Harlem.  The first night of performances occurred at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park,  and the second night was held in Alphabet City at Tompkin’s Square.  Those organizing the festival year after year are group from the City Parks Foundation.

The jazz greats of today composed the line-up celebrating the jazz greats of yesterday.  Gary Bartz, saxophonist, played one of Jackson’s songs “I Can’t Help It”, along with the younger hip-hop and jazz vocalist Bilal.  Bartz himself is a bit of an experimental player, as is the vocal style of Bilal, however both men performed a relatively straight version of the song, remaining true to the original.  Bartz has always been drawn to funk music, and is now playing with the younger generation of the hip-hop artists and the DJ’s of the club scene.  He opened the show on Saturday with a group of rappers, improvisation and a straight up rhythm section composed of classical jazz percussionists.

Other incredible performances occurred throughout the weekend, including Frank Wess and his many years of experience on the saxophone, playing along with Scott Robinson, also on sax, some of Parker’s most loved tunes.  YoungJosé James crooned with is baritone voice, proving to the audience that his talent reaches further than his young age would suggest.  Rain on Sunday delayed the start of the show, and when the band shell at Marcus Garvey Park began to leak, it was necessary to bring out the tents.  Following this, the Parks Foundation has already made plans to renovate the band stand, and fans of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival are hoping that it will be completed by next August.  Keep this in mind when booking at the 5 star New York hotels, as fans come year after year, and the rooms fill up quickly.  This is one of the most anticipated and beloved of the many festivals happening each year in the wonderful city of Manhattan.

Oklahoma City Cavalry had a fantastic run here from 1990-1997.  It’s been reincarnated as the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, and won a second CBA championship in 2009, by a shot that was decided in overtime.  It’s difficult to know what the future will bring to this basketball team, or for any of us, but Mary Myrick is making splendid efforts to pave the way for brighter horizons.  The Oklahoma City Cavs were among her first clients when she started Public Strategies Inc. also in 1990, and they’ve had quite a run over the past two decades as well.  Their strengths are many, and they are dedicated to improving the life of the communities here.

They do have offices in DC, Texas, and Colorado, but the organization started in Oklahoma City, and its operations here are focused on serving the local neighborhoods.  They work with a variety of clients, both in the public and in the private sectors, and they strive to meet the client’s goals with excellence and efficiency.  There are over 150 team members at Public Strategies, reflecting a diversity of cultures and professional expertise, and these qualities help to insure great results.  They work in many public sector services, such as education, criminal justice, and child welfare.  Looking out for the future for the generations that will follow us is a main concern, and it’s demonstrated on all levels of the organization.

One of the most visible demonstrations of this concern for the future is Mary Myrick‘s Smart car.  The sour green apple vehicle is very small, but it’s impossible to miss among the gas-guzzlers that crawl the streets of Oklahoma City.  Her car is enormously fuel efficient, and the emissions are ultra-low, demonstrating a concern for the environment, and the health of the planet.  The Smart car is ecologically conscious on all levels of production.  The paint is even water-soluble, and the materials are all recyclable.  It’s one demonstration of a commitment to better life here, and it’s a demonstration that really shines.

All you have to do is walk into a home décor store and you can see the many various home themes.  You could decorate your home to look like a beach house or Chinese temple; the options are endless.  Whether you realize it or not, each piece of furniture and decoration plays into the décor theme of your home.  So if you are decorating for the first time or just trying out a fresh new look, it is important to realize the many different aspects of home decorating.

Before choosing a theme for home, consider the what type feeling you want your guests to have when they are in your home.  Do you want it to be warm and inviting? Cool and classy? Fun and festive?  It can also vary from room to room.  Once you have decided, you can begin to decide on colors and patterns.

The furniture is the central point of any room, be it an end-table, chair, or piano.  Because furniture is expensive, we tend to use it until it wears out.  However, you can buy inexpensive slip covers to give your couch and chairs a fresh new look and paint or re-finish wood items to make them shine.

Painting the walls will also give your home a fresh new look.  It will also contribute heavily to feeling others get when they are visiting.  If are using a darker color it is usually best to paint just one wall.  Not only does it look more creative, but it also prevents the room from appearing too small and dark.

Window treatments are good way to express your style and enhance the theme and look of your room.  From swags to valences, there are many different options of window treatments to fit your home.  Of course the type of blinds or shutters you have will affect the types of window treatments you can use.  Shutters from www.NextDayBlinds.com often don’t need any enhancement.  With Next Day Blinds Virginia, reviews are usually limited because of the excellent service and custom made products that they offer.  Investing in window treatments from Next Day Blinds will not only increase your home’s value but enhance the style.

The final step is to add some finishing touches.  You can make a nice display on an end table or the fireplace mantle. You can often find nice pieces for affordable prices at thrift stores or garage sales. Just keep in mind the size and functionality of your room.

With just a few small changes you can give your room, and home, a whole new look.

Singapore is an endlessly exciting place, a city-state with a glorious bay, and a vibrant urban scene that constantly evolves, keeping a step ahead of the trends of the times.  It has a fantastic multi-cultural aura, with influences from Malay, Indian, and Chinese cultures, and these influences are especially pronounced in the cuisine and the local art.  There are many amazing attractions here that will keep guests of all ages happy and fascinated with the place.  Thinking about the time you’ll be spending here is even more pleasant when you’ve made arrangements to stay in a boutique hotel in Singapore.  Our hotels are carefully selected for their uniqueness and their consistently high levels of hospitality and service.

You’ll be enjoying your time here in a beautifully individual style, and our gorgeously designed rooms are wonderful places to fall asleep and wake up refreshed.  An attitude of adventure and fun is what Singapore is all about, and exploring the cityscape is always fresh, and always exciting.  You’ll soon see that Singapore has a knack for fashion, and there’s an art underlying everything that unfolds in a day.  It’s an art city, where the ability to manipulate sensory landscapes is not seen as a decoration, but a necessity for the daily lives of the citizens.  In this spirit, one of the major art centers, The Substation is a place to see.  There is always new work going on here, as the old power substation converted into an arts warehouse, offers exciting new programming in performance, installation art, dance and movement based performance, video, and a host of other forms.

It opened in 1990, after the dramatist Kuo Pao Kun worked relentlessly to propose a project to convert this old 1926 building into something that artists could use.  It is now one of the premiere art venues in town, and still maintains its roots.  The original mission was to open a space where emerging artists could experiment, and learn from failures as well as the occasional success.  These edgy intentions are still intact, although the founder has passed on, and the core artists continue to push further into the realms of art practice, and to the benefit of themselves and Singapore.

I’ve been remiss in the blogisphere, but when you don’t have access to the Internet, it makes it quite difficult. I usually try to write my blogs in Word, then copy them to my blog online, but to be honest, I’ve just been plain bloggied out. But, I do miss all the comments, so here I am again, blogging about my trip to Sydney and Canberra, Australia.

It was a beautiful week in Sydney last week and I spent most of my time eating, golfing, relaxing and beaching it. The best part of my week, was to visit with friends I hadn’t seen in a long time; too long.  I had dinner at the restaurant and wine bar called DeVine with two of my most funniest friends, Mark and Tabitha. It was so good to see them and laugh till we cried. I’d forgotten just how fun it is to be with the both of them, they’re so funny; all the time funny. They should become a comedy duo. We had a nice bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which rounded off our exquisite meal quite nicely.

My weekend was astounding. I travelled to Canberra to visit Ria, Randy and their cat Ranch. I stayed at one of the Canberra Australia hotels instead of putting them out, even though they offered me to stay at their wonderful ranch, I just prefer to wake up in my own room where I won’t disturb anyone but myself. It felt like we were ‘back-in-the-day’ when I was with them. We used to hang out all the time together and try to get into trouble. Ranch, the cat, doesn’t like to be petted, but I talked to him anyway, he liked that, because he would respond every time with a meow.

Canberra is just as I was told it would be, not much of anything, which is exactly what I love about it. It’s not touristy and the pace here is slow and pleasant. I went ahead and did the tour of the parliament building, so I can say that I did see sights! Actually, I learned quite a bit about Canberra and Australia in general than I ever knew before, so the tour was to my benefit. I picked up Bill Bryson’s book on Australia before I came to Australia and I highly recommend if you plan to travel to Australia, to read this book first.

Add a home hot tub to your backyard and you are investing not only on your property, but in your well being as well.  Hot tubs such as those online at choosehottubsdirect.com, will provide your life with fun, health and an investment in your financial future.  One of the best things to do at the onset of spring or the beginning of autumn, is to set up outside and watch and old movie projected onto the wall.  Any wall, side of the house, side of the wall.  It’s all romantic in nature.  And you can have that, in your own backyard.

Rebel Without a Cause or Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a movie with a grill and and a hot tub?  Well what a great night will be had by all.  On top of the fun, there a financial aspect…everything these days seems to need a financial aspect to be valid.  That said, the value of your property will be greatly increased when you decide to add a hot tub.  Whether you decide to add a hot tub to the design of your backyard garden, or whether you decide to have it installed inside your structure, the property value will rise.  Homes currently under construction, include this addition.  Standard now, is the hot tub spa.  Once an accoutrement of the rich and famous, just a part of the deal, thanks to advances in technology, manufacturing and distribution.

On top of the party aspect, all guests will leave feeling…strangely wonderful.  What ancient cultures have known for centuries, modern cultures are just figuring out.  Water feels good, and water heals.  Imagine having this, your own hot tub, at your disposal, every night, in your own backyard.  It will relieve stress, ease aching muscles, and put you out for a very good, very solid, night’s sleep.   You will wake up refreshed for the next day of work, and bring you home each night for a certain, deep and well rested sleep.